Shark Repellent Board?

[theshreddah]

During my sophomore year in college when I first started surfing, the one thing that always sat in the back of my mind was thought of sharks. Nothing intimidated me more than visualizing that ominous dark figure swimming around below me. A friend had told me about some research he came across supporting the idea that contrasting patterns could be used to deter sharks. The idea is that the contrasting pattern, like those on the pilot fish and lion fish, lets the shark know that you’re not an item of prey.

I recently decided to create a vinyl decal for my surfboard based on this research. My question for you guys is would you consider putting one on your board? Would you be willing to pay $50 for a body board sized decal, $65 for shortboard, and $80 for longboard? The link below has a picture of the decal on a lineup of boards.

RArOINU.jpg (55.99 KiB) Viewed 1389 times

[jaffa1949]

Your designs are amongst many others that have appeared in the last few years, a search of google images show many already.
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=shar ... 0&bih=1253
They are more commonly being designed in Western Australia due to so many attacks there. What would make your design better than any of the other stripey visual disrupting patterns on offer?

[theshreddah]

I wanted to make something that was more affordable and sleeker in design that was is currently available. The wetsuit is going to cost several hundred dollars and I personally do not like any of the other designs out there. Also, you'll notice that those designs are one big sticker where as mine would be a decal (each strip sits on its own). The average person who has never worked with vinyl would have a very difficult time laying down that sized graphic without leaving a ton of bubbles in it. The advantage of the decal is that it makes the application much easier, as well as the removal of any bubbles left over.

[jaffa1949]

That's a fair call on laying vinyl, and also laying the cash and then having it peel off!
Sounds like a good project, I wouldn't buy one as I've surf over 50 years and not been eaten yet ( touch wood).
It would be salable item though? Go for it! Sell them cheap but sell lots

[billie_morini]

i dunno, shred. Do patterns really work?

you are smart to offer small decals. while i can apply large vinyl sheets (ex. clear bra on automobile), many average people cannot.

[drowningbitbybit]

No matter how good/effective/affordable a shark-repellant device is... does anyone actually want one?
The first time you go in the water, you worry about it, a week later it would never occur to you.

I can't see many actual surfers wanting one.

[oldmansurfer]

I bet they would sell on Reunion island. http://www.surfermag.com/features/shark-attack-reunion/

[CARBr6]

A couple of points (trying to be helpful), I agree with Jaffe and DBBB, and can't see that many would want or need it. I also wonder about the 'stickiness' of a decal as there have been several discussions on this forum alone regarding stickers and decals on boards and them pealing off etc. I for one would not be happy to pay out $80 on something that then peals off later. However assuming that this can be overcome, how far has this research gone? Is it just the pattern that deters the shark? If so could it be worked into a more attractive pattern with colours in order to make it more aesthetically pleasing to a human eye and still remain as an effective deterent to a shark?
Have you thought about approaching local shapers and have your deacls put onto boards during the shaping process (this would eliminate the chance of the decals ever coming off as they would be under the glass)?
For me surfing the UK we do not have sharks, or at least not of the kind that attack surfers, so there is no market here, but I also do not like the way that it looks. Let's be honest we choose our boards because they look good as well as how they ride. So why not give some thought to that, in order to be a viable option you will need to have something that the others do not, but yes I think that individual decals is easier to apply than a single sheet, but this raises the question, and goes back to the research, is there a minimum or maximum gap between the stripes in order for them to be effective?
Sorry to end up with such a long post but these are all questions that occurred to me. Don't be put off I am only trying to help.

[gd6]

There were 'experts' on the radio talking about great white sharks in the Los Angeles area, and apparently they were studying them because while we rarely have adult great whites inside the bay where most of the coast of LA is, the juveniles (~3-8ft) definitely come into that area a lot. Anyway...some experts believe that great whites NEVER actually mistake humans for food, that they have too many ways to know that we aren't actually seals, and that when they bite people its as a territorial act to force us out of there space. I'm not sure how accurate this is, but some scientists do believe it, and its too bad that they are so large that a warning bite can easily take someones limb off.

Anyway, that may not apply to other species of sharks, but it kinda made sense to me, because sharks can smell incredibly well, and I'm pretty sure most great whites don't seem to eat the person after biting them.

[billie_morini]

Ok, new idea triggered by a lot of recent board repairs. It'd be a piece of cake to place an electrical signal generator inside a foam board. The device and battery colud be something like 5x4x1 cm.

But, what about shark fear and me? I don't have it and did not have it when I lived near and surfed in California's Red Triangle. But, this discussion isn't about rationality. It's about commerce and making buck, dollar, pound, crown, Euro, zlotty, ....

[jaffa1949]

Poland has sharks eeeeeyew!! double vodka please!

[IB_Surfer]

The designs repelled me, must work on a shark

[billie_morini]

Less than a week ago, a surfing inventor in Hawaii began selling an electronic transmitter that's installed on the leash's ankle cuff. It's rechargeable and looks unobtrusive. The inventor tested it with small and medium sized sharks and claims it works very well. But, he has not tested it with big sharks. It's thought by some that the big sharks won't be repulsed by the electrical signal from the transmitter.

For the record, I don't worry about shark attack.

[CARBr6]

Saw this on the telly the other day.
http://www.chrispackham.co.uk/news/inside-the-animal-mind

In the first episode Chris Packham saw that magnets can be used to repel and deter sharks. Maybe we should stick huge magnets in our boards!

[kitesurfer]

Fantastic i just can't turn down an opportunity for this.
I spray my board with some of this

works every time.

KS

[Livetosurf]

hahaha this video crack me up

[theshreddah]

If anyone is interested in purchasing one of those shark detterent decals I mentioned, you can check them out here - http://www.sharkex.com

[Big H]

Thanks for the self serving check in......take out ad space or change your username to Thespammah.....

Who would want a sticker coming between the board and the water anyway.....that's the action area....better off with a spray job rather than a sticker and Jeez, for the prices you charge you better come wash my car a few times too.....$80 for a sticker!?!? Get outta here....

[Big H]

I walked out my front gate this morning and stepped right into some fresh dog poo that a pooch had apparently just left there.....I have the same feeling when I open up a thread and see some shameless advertising here in our chatting surf garden....opening up only to be met with a spammy post is the same as stepping in dog poo.....thanks for that buddy.

[billie_morini]

I walked out my front gate this morning and stepped right into some fresh dog poo that a pooch had apparently just left there.....I have the same feeling when I open up a thread and see some shameless advertising here in our chatting surf garden....opening up only to be met with a spammy post is the same as stepping in dog poo.....thanks for that buddy.

Big H,
c'mon, now. Theshreddah is one of us! See, he contributed five (5) posts in nearly three (3) years?!